Everton's Youth Team was one of the highest rated in the country a few seasons ago. But the incomprehensible failure of the club to invest at the Under-17 level resulted in a dismal campaigns both last season and this....
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Everton's recent Youth squads have rated among the best the club has had:
In the 1997-98 season, with the help of U-18 star, Danny Cadamarteri and Irish International, Richard Dunne, the youngsters lifted the relegation gloom of Goodison for an evening by holding off the strong challenge of Blackburn Rovers in the Final to lift the coveted trophy.
In the 1998-99 season, they played brilliantly to reach the semi-final but just couldn't make the grade against eventual winners, West Ham United, despite being the only team to defeat them.
But Last season, it all ended ignominiously at Goodison Park, reflecting just one own-goal and one penalty as their sum scoring effort....
It is hard not to make a strong connection between Everton's abject failure at the Youth level last season, and the earlier decision not to field an Under-17 squad in the national FA Youth Premier Academy league. A shortage of money is one thing, but how much would it really have cost to support that effort?
Everton are clearly already paying a long-term price for this failure to invest in a full youth policy.
Day Date Rnd Opponents KO/Res Scorers Tue 28 Nov 3rd Nottingham Forest (h) D 1-1 Chadwick Fri 15 Dec 3-R Nottingham Forest (a) L 2-3 Chadwick, Brown
Everton's youth team, which were basically our Under-17 side, were held to a 1-1 draw by a strong Forest side. We did start brighter when, after just 3 mins, Crowder had a 20-yd effort easily dealt with by their keeper. A couple of minutes later, Chadwick from an almost impossible angle, having snook around the back of the defence, shot and hit both posts before the ball bounced into the back of the net. 1-0 up.
Within 2 mins, for some unknown reason, under no pressure, in his own box, A Moogan handled the ball! Up stepped Forest's Jenas to level the score. This was the only real opportunity they had to score. Everton could not then finish the chances that they had. In the remaining 37 mins, neither side could really create any goal chances.
Half time: Everton 1 - 1 Nottingham Forest
Chadwick on 50 mins, pulled the ball back with a couple of Everton players unable to meet the cross. Rooney was introduced on the hour mark. This seemed to inspire the Blues, for they had a pretty good run of chances, but somehow could not capitalise.
We were however, under the cosh for about 10 mins with the Everton box, seemingly under siege, but the back four worked overtime dealing with the Forest attack. Everton then had a spell with substitute Rooney stealing the ball on 69 mins from the Forest defence, some 40 yds out. He then ran, and got himself into a shooting position inside the box, only to see the shot blocked.
On 74 mins, Rooney again, in virtually the same position inside the box, saw his shot, just go over the bar. A minute later, from the opposite side, Rooney had a shot on target and the keeper at full stretch, diving pushing the ball, out for a corner.
With time running out, we had a couple of half chances falling for Chadwick, with headers going wide... We are still, in the draw for the next round of the FA Youth Cup, but first, we have to go back to Forest for a replay.
Well then, a bit of a sickener: 2-0 down, fought our way back to 2-2, only to lose the game on the last kick.
On 6 mins Jenas with their first, from a free kick, the blues defence did not clear from the danger zone.
A couple of mins later, we had a half chance, a free kick inside the box, but Forest had 11 men on the goal line, and we could not capitalise on the opportunity.
On 11 mins we where down 2-0. Again the ball in the box, no clearance, Westcarr the scorer.
Andrew Pettinger then showed us why we paid 45,000 for him, making four class saves in the space of ten mins. Even the small Forest crowd where giving him a round of applause. So to go in 2-0 down at half time was a job well done.
Half time: Notts Forest 2 - 0 Everton
The half time team talk must of worked as, within a minute of the start, we had pulled a goal back -- Chadwick the scorer. Scott had made a great run from midfield, laying the ball off to Symes who back-heeled it into the path of Chadwick: he did not miss.
We then took control of the game, but it took till the 81st min for us to equalise. Brown again ran at the defence, which opened up for him. This time with his left foot, he curled his shot into the the to corner, 2-2
The lads must have had their minds on extra time as, on 89 mins with the clock ticking, Forest's Cash let fly from outside the box. The ball went through the defence, past the keeper into the net.
What a way to go out of the cup...............
Official Site Match Report
Player Pld(Sub) Goals Andrew Pettinger 2(-) - Craig Penman 1(-) - Alan Moogan 1(-) - Sean O'Hanlon 2(-) - Robert Southern 2(-) - Steven Schumacher 2(-) - Franklyn Colbeck 2(-) - Steven Beck 2(-) - Nicholas Chadwick 2(-) 2 Martin Crowder 2(-) - David Carney 1(-) - Scot Brown 1(1) 1 Michael Symes 1(-) - James Potter 1(-) - Wayne Rooney -(2) - Sean Doherty -(2) -
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